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HowTo: Setup Git on a Workstation (Windows/Linux)

  • Below are some basic steps for the initial setup/configuration of git on a workstation.
  • For a quick reference guide on Git, checkout this cheatsheet from Atlassian.

Windows 10 PC

The below steps assumed you have installed GitBash on a Windows workstation, and that you are to use GitBash to execute all commands unless explicitly informed otherwise.

NOTE: The GitBash installer also includes 'Git GUI' as part of the package however, I have not used it yet. The Atlassian has an excellent guide for walking you through the installation of GitBash for Windows.


STEP-1: Open Git Bash, navigate to and create the directory where you'd like to store your project repository(ies), then create a test repo directory.

-NOTE: During the Git installation, if your selections allowed for it, you can perform these steps in Git Bash or in PowerShell. Example:

cd /c/Users/[username]/Documents/
mkdir MyRepos
mkdir MyRepos/Test_Repository
cd MyRepos/Test_Repository


STEP-2: Create an empty Git repository for tracking your first repo by initializing Git; and configure the created .gitconfig file for basic git functionality.

-NOTE: If you plan on interacting with a centralized source code repo, such as GitHub/GitLab, ensure the name and email you define below satisfies what you'd like to see in any future git history logs.

! Initialize git. (create a Git repository with the cwd as the root dir for subsequent files/folders)

git init

! Configure the basic requirements for using git by editing the .gitconfig file.

git config user.name "[Name_to_be_associated_with_git_changes]"
git config user.email "[Email_to_be_associated_with_git_changes]"


STEP-3: Generate a public/private keypair to use with SSH pushes/pulls, and ensure your workstation's ssh-agent knows where to find it.

NOTE: Ensure you pick a modern algorithm to prevent having to recreate your keys in case remote code repos, like GitHub/GitLab, refuse to support keys containing too weak/small of a modulus due to industry standards recommendations. Suggestion: use ed25519 instead of a 1024-bit rsa key

! Generate the ssh public and private keypair.
NOTE: Microsoft Docs has excellent documentation on OpenSSH key management

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C [email_associated_with_Commercial-based_repo_account]

  • The -t arg stands for type, and allows you to specify which algorithm type to use.
  • The -C arg stands for comment, and allows you to associate the key with a specific email. Such as the email associated with GitHub/GitLab.

You'll be prompted for 2 things:

  1. The Absolute Path in which you will save the priv/pub keys (include in the path the desired name of your keys),
  2. A passphrase required to be entered when the key is initially used or when the PC is shutdown/rebooted.
$ ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C [GitHub_email@example.com]
Generating public/private ed25519 key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/c/Users/[username]/.ssh/id_ed25519): /c/Users/[username]/.ssh/GitGub_ed25519
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved in /c/Users/[username]/.ssh/GitGub_ed25519
Your public key has been saved in /c/Users/[username]/.ssh/GitGub_ed25519.pub
The key fingerprint is:
SHA256:Blah....Blah [GitHub_email@example.com]
The key's randomart image is:
...
some randomart image
...


Now...
! Evaluate if the ssh-agent is running on your workstation.

Get-Service -Name ssh-agent [MUST use Windows Powershell Running as Admin NOT GitBash]

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)" [Linux]


! Define the full path to your new SSH private key using Window's ssh-agent.
NOTE: This is important if you saved your SSH keys in a non-default location

ssh-add 'C:\Users\[Username]\path\to\my_priv_key [Windows Powershell NOT GitBash]

or you can use Git Bash

ssh-add /c/Users/[Username]/path/to/my_priv_key [Windows GitBash]

ssh-add ~/path/to/my_priv_key [Linux]


! By default, Windows does not start the ssh daemon. To configure the behavior as such, perform the following in powershell with elevated(admin) priv.

NOTE: You MUST use Windows Powershell Running as Admin NOT GitBash

## To set the sshd service to be started automatically at boot-time.
Get-Service -Name ssh-agent | Set-Service -StartupType Automatic

## Now start the sshd service.
Start-Service sshd

NOTE: If 'Start-Service sshd' presents an error, try 'Start-Service ssh-agent'.


STEP-4(optional): Enable secure SSH communication to/from a remote Commercial-based source code repository by uploading the public ssh keypair to your remote Commercial account; Confirming ssh access and functionality afterwards. In this example, I'll use GitHub.com

! Login to Github.

! Under Account Settings select SSH and GPG Keys.

! In the SSH Keys section, select New SSH Key.

! In the Title field, enter a name you'll recognize for the key. -Example: Home Desktop -Example: Work Travel Laptop

! In the Key field, copy+paste the contents of your SSH publickey.pub.

  • In GitBash, you can do this via: cat GitGub_ed25519.pub

! Lastly, click Add SSH Key.

! Now, Test basic ssh connectivity to GitHub from your local workstation.

ssh -vT git@github.com

! Further test by performing a clone of an existing repo on your GitHub account.

git clone git@github.com:[GitHub_acct_name]/[repo_name].git


STEP-5: Test git functionality on your local workstation.

! Ensure you are in the (master/main) repo by cd into the folder, Test_Repository.

cd /c/Users/[username]/Documents/MyRepos/Test_Repository

! Copy any files or folders you may currently have on your PC, and place them in your cwd.

cd /c/Users/[username]/Desktop/file1.txt ./
cd /c/Users/[username]/Desktop/file2.txt ./

! Inform git that you want to stage these files for the purpose of tracking changes during your next commit.

git add file1.txt file2.txt

! Inform git that you are done making changes(in this case, the change was simply the addition of 2 files) and want to commit any staged files to your repo as a 'formal submission'(a.k.a commit).

git commit

or

git commit -m "Your message here. Briefly describe what this commit is providing(new files,changes-additions,changes-removals)"

NOTE: git does not allow commits without supporting messages. If you submit a commit without a message flag, your env's default text editor will pop up with some commented out(# symbols) information giving you guidance on what you could include in a commit message. Add your commit msg at the top line. Once done, save and exit. This will automatically enter your msg contents as a commit msg, just as if you had provided the -m arg and submitted the msg.



Linux PC

  • Pending a future update...